Vending-machine.



H. J. SWEANY.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27. 1913. RENEWED MAR. 20. 1915.

1,1 55, 1 72; Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. J. SWEANY.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-27. 19x3. RENEWED MAR. 20, I915.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

anon 1* 01' Witnesses H. J. SWEANY. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION man AUG.27. 191a. RENEWED MAR. 20. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

H. J. SWEANY.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27 I9l3- RENEWED MAR. 20. 1915.

1 55 1 79 Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J/Sweawj.

lllhllTED snares HARE Y J- SW ANK QUA- L OM VENDING-MACHINE.

Application filed August 27, 1913, Serial No. 786,917.

tion of the invention, such as will enable.

others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same:

This invention compriehends improvements in vending machines and relates more particularly to those of the coin controlled type which employ electric power for accomplishing the desired result.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of this nature which is especially adapted for vending tickets or other similar articles which are formed in continuous strips adai ited to be carried upon a roll. It is intended that my machine shall .be used primarily at places of amusement,

such as theaters, summer resorts etc. for autonnitieally selling or dispensing tickets.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a ticket vending machine, so constructed that a deposition of the proper coin within the coin slot, will close an electric circuit and start a series of successive operations, which will result in a ticket being severed from a roll and delivercd through the discharge opening.

This invention also aims to generally mprove machines of this nature to render them more useful, practical and .commere cially desirable.

lh ith these and other objects in view, as

will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully describedand claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the follow ing description and accompanying draw.- ings, in which Figure 1 is a top'plan view of my improved vending machine, thecasing top being removed, Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly -in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end. elevation partly-in section, Fig. l is a detail view of the entrance guard, Fig. 15 1s a section taken on the plane .of line .5 5 of Fig.

,3. F ig, .6 is a detail view of .aportion of the circuit closer, to be later described in de- Specification of Letters Patent.

and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view Patented Sept. 28, .1915.

Renewed. March 20, 1915. Serial No. 15,904.

tail, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the knife, cutting block and 00- operating parts, Fig. 8 is a section taken on the plane of line S8 of Fig. 2, Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of the ticket feeding means, "of the wiring, showing the various electriccurrents employed, Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the ticket guide. 7

Generally considered, my improved vending machine comprises a coin guide and gard mechanism therefor, guide means for the tickets, feed mechanism, a severing knife, means for actuating said knife, drive motors, electrical circuits and circuit closers.

Referring in detail to the drawing by 1111- morals, l1 designates generallyarectangular' case which may be of any desired construe-s tion suitable to contain the various parts of the vending machine and which is divided into an upper and lower compartment by means of a horizontal partition 12. To one end of the case is secured a coin guide 13 having a narrow vertical channel 14 formed therein and a flared member 15 surrounding the top of the channel A coin slot 16 is formed inthe top 17 of the case directly over the channel 14, so that when a coin is dropped into the slot, it will fall into thecoin guide. An opening 18 is formed in the partition 12 directly under the channel 1% and drawer 19 is provided to receive the coins. A pair of contact plates 20 and 21 are secured in the coin guide adjacent the lower end thereof and form a portion of the walls of the channel 14:. The contact plate 20 is stationary, whereas the plate 21 is mounted to oscillate about the pivot 22. A spring 23 forces the lower end of the plate 21 toward the plate 2 0 so that a coin, such as is indicated by the numeral 24, can normally pass therebetween.

The means which I provide for guarding against a second coin being dropped into the coin guide before the preceding coin has been discharged therefrom, includes a pair of electro-magnets25 and 26 which are suit ably secured 1 to the underside of the cover 17 to one side of the slot 16, and slide plate '27.

coin guide 13,

secured to the rear side of the cutterblock 41 adjacent the upper spring guide 42, in the-form of the letter T,

the'magnets are energized, the plate will be free to move toward the same. Such a movement of the plate will draw the slot 28 from registration with the slot 16 and prevent a coin being inserted into the machine. A contractile spring 32 returnsthe plate to its normal position when the magnets are de'e'nergized.

To deflect iron slugs andsimilar objects that might be dropped through the entrance slot 16, and prevent them passing into the I provide a permanent magnet 33which issecured above the member 15 to one side thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.. To cause disks of tinfoil, orother soft material which might be forced through the slot '16, to be flattened so as to pass one or the other of readily between the contact plates 20 and 21, V

'I provide a spring pressed plunger 34 which projects a slight distance within the slot 16. An object of soft material, such as tinfoil, will be flattened by coming in contact with this plunger, but said plunger will retract when a proper coin is dropped into the slot.

Coming now to the tickets and guide mechanism therefor, 35 designates a suitable bracket secured to the rear wall of the case and adapted to support a roll of tickets 36. 7 These tickets are each formed adjacent their 30 forward end withan opening 37 and pass between'guide rollers 38 and through a slot 39 formed in the block40, said block being edge thereof. A

having the extremities of the head portion thereof bent, as indicated by the numeral 43, is securedto the top of the block 41 by means of suitable fasteners passing through I the openings 44. The tickets pass over the guide 42 vand under the inturned extremities" 43 thereof. The head of the guide is normally positioned a-slight distance above the cutter block, as shown in Fig. 3.

The feed mechanism includes a longitudinally movable pull rod'45 which is sliclable through guides 46 carried by an upstanding plate'47. The pullurod is formed with a A fihook 48 upon its rear end'which is adapted foremost guide 46. g ignated 52, comprising a rod having an off to engage in the openings formed in the tickets and is formed-with a 49 upon itsforward end. A spring 50 forces the rod normally toward the tickets.

-and the collar 51 limits the movement of said rod :in this directionby engaging the A stop, generally dess'etprojection .53 formed upon its upper end, is mounted for sliding movement through the guides 54 secured to the plate 47. The stop extends essentially at right angles to the pull'rod 45 and passes above the same to one side thereof. 7 The projection 53, when position due to the depending arm 7 path of the collar 51 and holds said collar against movement in the direction of the tickets. The pull rod andstop are actuated respectively by means'of a U-shaped member 56 and trip pin 57 carried upon the periphery'of the drum 58. This drum extends in a plane at right angles to the plane of the pull rod at a slight distance below said rod, and is rotated by means-of the pulley 59, belt 60 and motor 61. When the drum 58 is rotated, the trip pin 57 raises the stop, and the spring50 moves the pull rod 45 toward the tickets, causing the hook 48 to engage in one of the openings 37. The U- shaped member 56 which follows the trip pin 57 catches the arm 49 and draws the pull rod away from the tickets.

Taking up as next in order the severing knife, designated by the numeral 62, we see that this member is secured by a pivot 63 to the forward face of the cutter block 41 and that it is provided adjacent its butt with a lateralextension 64. The knife is in the form of a long and relatively thick blade, having its'lower edge beveled, as indicated by the numeral 65 and as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The knife is swung downwardly against the tension of the spring 66 by means of a stud 67 carried on the pulley wheel 68, said wheel being journaled to a suitable bracket 69 and driven by a belt 70 and motor 71. As the wheel revolves, the stud 67 engages the upper edge of the knife and carries the latter downwardly, causing the1 cutting edge to sever a ticket from the r01 v a V A circuit closer including a: Z-shaped bracket 72 secured to the' partition 12 and a pivoted arm 73, is provided for closing a circuit through the motor 71.- The bracket 72 carriesa'contact screw 74,and a contractile spring 75 is attached to the underside of the block 40 andto the arm 73. A look rod 76 rests at its lower end on the arm73 and extends upwardly-through the bore or channel 77 formed in the block 40, said arm when in its raised position being adapted to project through onelof the openings 37 and. hold the tickets against movement, The arm 73 is. normally held in its lowered positionagainst the tension of the spring 75 by means of an arm7 8 secured shaft 79: This shaft lies in a'horizontal plane, extends through the cutter block 41 and has secured to its forward extremity an upstanding arm 80 to the upper extremity of which issecured one end of a connecting rod 81, the other end of said rod being se- -cured to the upperextremity of a spring standard 82. A stud 83 having a beveled face 84 is carried by the extension 64 of the knife and holds the arm 80 normally in such position astoidispose the arm 78 over the in a rotatable "contact arm 73 so that the latter is retained i.

in its lowered position. A pin 83 carried by 1 6 the drum 58 is adapted to engage the aid .82 at the proper time and spring theharm away from the stud 83 so as" to permit the spring 75 to raise the contact arm 7 3 into engagement with the contact screw 74;.

In operation, when a coin 24 is deposited in the machine through the slot 16, passes downwardly and is held between the contact plates 20 and 2 1 and serves to close a circuit through the motor 61, current flowing, as shown in the diagrammatic view, fromthe main wire 84, through the wire 85, contact plate 20, coin 24, contact plate 21, and wire 86 to the motor. From the motor the current flows through the wire 87, armature 88 and wire 89 to the line wire 90. The magnet 25 is shunted in circuit with the motor 61 by means of the wires 91 and 92, so that when the motor is running, said magnet is energized and holds the slot 28 in the slide plate 27 out of registration of the entrance slot 16. The motor 61 drives the drum 58 causing the trip pin 57 to raise the stop 52,, whereupon the pull rod 45 is carried through the action of the spring 50 toward the foremost ticket 36. The hook 48 engages in the.

opening in the ticket 36 and when the U- shaped member 56 engages the arm 419, so as to move the pull rod 15 forwardly, the ticket is drawn so as to bring its rear edge under the cutting edge of the knife 62.

The pin 83 isso located upon the drum 57 as to engage the standard 82 as soon .as the ticket has been movedto its proper position, whereby the arm 73 is permitted to raise into contact with the screw 7e and whereby the lock rod 76 isforced upwardly through the opening niche of the succeeds" c ets to Prevent a fu th r movement thereof. When the circuit is closedthrough the arm 73 and screw 7 1, current flows from the line wire 84, through the magnets 93, breaking the circuit through the motor 61, through the member 72, arm 7 3, wire 94:, to the motor and via the wire 95 to the main line 90. The coil 26 is connected in shunt with the motor 71 by means of the wires 96 and 97 so that the entrance opening remains closed as long as the machine is in operation.

The operation of the motor 71 causes the wheel 68 to rotate, whereupon the stud 67 engages the knife 62 and swingsit downwardly so as to sever a ticket with a shearing out. The spring 66 returns the knife to its elevated position after the stud 67 has moved from engagement therewith. A trip rod 99 has its forward end disposed in the path of the knife extension 64: and its rear end in engagement with the contactplate 21 above the pivot 22 so that when the knife operates, the rod is moved rearwardly, causing the plate 21 tooscillate and drop the coin 2 L intothe drawer 19. When the knife returns to its raised position, the spring 23 returns the ontact plate t its n m l Position, and h mach e is ady for anoth r 100 in the partition 12 and slide down the hute 101w the discharg pening- ,From the fo -(ageing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that ,I have provided a coin controlled and vending machine which is adapted for use in dispensing tickets, stamps or other articles which may be formed in continuous t ips.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination vand arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe scopeand spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus claim.:

1, In a vending na hine, an electric circuit, a motor connected mechanismdriven by the motor for advancing the articles to be vended, a cutter, means including a motor for operating the cutter, and means for automatically switching the current from the first mentioned :to the sec ond mentioned motor.

In a vending machine, an electric circuit, a motorin said circuit, feed mechanism driven by the motor, a cutter,rcutter operating means including a motor, means for switching the current from the first to the ,sepond IIIBIltlOIlBd motor after each operation of the feed mechanism and means for automatically breaking the circuit described my invention, 1

through the second mentioned motor after each operation of the cutter.

3. In a vending machine, a circuit, a motor in said circuit, feed mechanism driven by the motor, a cutter, mechanism for driving the cutter including a motor, each operation of the feed mechanism switching current from the first to the second mentioned motor, and means operated by the cutter for breaking the circuit.

4. In a machine for vending articles formed in strips, feed mechanism for advancing the articles, said mechanism including a reciprocatory pull rod, spring means for drawing said rod toward'the articles, a rotating element, and means carried by the rotating element for drawing the pull rod longitudinally after the same has engaged an article.

5. In a vending machine for articles formed in strips, feed mechanism including a reciprocatory pull rod adapted to engage an article and advance the. same, spring means for drawing the pull rod toward the articles, a stop member for holding the rod against the action of the spring means, a

electrically operated in said circuit, feed formed upon the tudinally movable pull rod having a hook formed on one end thereof, a spring for drawingthe hook end of the rod toward the articles for locking engagement'therewith, a, stop member to hold the rod against the action of the'spring, a rotatable drum,

a trip member carried by the drum for engagement with the stop, and means also carried'by the drum for drawing the pull rod in a direction awayfrom articles whereby said articles are advanced.

V In a machine for vending articles formed in strips and provided with aper tures, feed mechanism including a longitudinally movable pull rod having a hook formed on one end thereof for engagement in said apertures, a laterally extending arm other end of the pull rod, a spring for drawing the pull rod toward the articles, a stop member for holding the rod against the tension of the spring, a rotating drum, a trippin carried by said drum for engagement with the stop member, and means also carried by the drum in the rear of the trip pin for engagement with said arm tomov'e the pull'rod in a direction away from the articles.

8. In a vending machine, a operating means for said cutterincluding a wheel, a stud carried "by the wheel for en- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for pivoted cutter, 7

elevatedvposition for breaking the circuit 7 through "the motor; 7

10.In a'mach1ne for vending articles formed in strips and provided with openings, a slotted guide block through which supporting the articles pass, a cutter block the guide block, a cutter pivoted to the cutter block, means for swinging the cutter so as tosever an article from the strip, a locking means for thearticles, a motor for driving the'cutter operating means; and means operated by the cutterfor breaking the circuit through the motor. 7 v V 11; In a vending machine, a pivoted cutter, a motor for driving said cutter, feed mechanism, means operated by the feed,

mechanism for switching current through themotor; and means operated by the cut ter for breaking; the circuit'through the motor.

In testimony whereof I aflix my in presence of two- 'witnesses."

HARRY J. SWEANY. IVitnesses: I,

W. B. APPLE, A. B. FULCHER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

said means in-' signature 

